The UK retailer GAME has closed its last remaining standalone stores as it enters administration

British retailer GAME is shutting down its last three independent stores as Nick Arran, the managing director, steps down after a nine-year tenure.

According to The Game Business and VGC, despite these closures, the company owned by Frasers Group will still operate over 200 concession locations within Sports Direct and House of Fraser stores and maintain its online retail presence.

Recently, GAME signaled its intention to appoint insolvency administrators due to disappointing sales during the last Christmas season.

The acquisition of GAME by Mike Ashley's Frasers Group occurred in 2019 for £51.9 million, following Ashley's initial purchase of a 25.75% stake in the retailer two years earlier, which subsequently increased over time.

In early 2024, the company decided to leave the pre-owned games market, later in the year discontinuing both its Xbox All Access program and customer rewards. By July 2024, they ended the option for in-store pre-orders. In April, the retailer faced staff layoffs and moved most employees to zero-hour contracts, and in August, most head office staff were dismissed.

By 2025, GAME announced having to cancel a number of pre-orders for the anticipated Nintendo Switch 2.

In a 2023 interview with GamesIndustry.biz, then-Managing Director Arran addressed rumors about the company shifting its focus from video games, stating, "Gaming remains our central focus, and we aim to remain the primary seller of physical games."

He emphasized their commitment to physical game products, stating that collector's editions are comparable to vinyl records in their appeal, and highlighted the importance of meeting gift-givers' needs. Arran noted the necessity of adapting to market changes, acknowledging the expected decline in physical sales but stressing the company’s ongoing operations need to evolve accordingly.